Computer Programming at Southeast Technical College

Southeast Technical College's Computer Programming graduates start at $53,874—impressive given it's an associate degree, putting them in the 93rd percentile nationally for this program. That's 41% above the typical graduate from a two-year computer programming program across the country, and they're doing it with less debt than average. The $14,827 median debt translates to a debt-to-earnings ratio of just 0.28, meaning graduates owe less than three months of their first-year salary.

The caveat here is significant: this data comes from fewer than 30 graduates, so these numbers could shift considerably with a larger sample. That said, the fundamentals look solid. Southeast Tech is the only school in South Dakota reporting data for this program, which limits direct state comparisons but also suggests limited local competition. The starting salary is roughly what you'd expect for an entry-level programming role in the region, and the debt load is manageable enough that graduates can realistically pay it down quickly.

For parents weighing a two-year technical degree versus a four-year computer science program, this represents a fast track to decent earnings without the debt that often comes with bachelor's degrees. Just recognize you're looking at a small data set, and individual outcomes will vary more than usual.